Not Strong Enough
by butterflymask1978
Summary: One Shot. Companion to My Favorite Mistake. Frankie knew it was wrong, but there was just something about Traci that he couldn't resist.


**_Story inspired by the song Not Strong Enough by Apocalyptica ft. Doug Robb of Hoobastank._**

**_Events in this story take place before My Favorite Mistake._**

* * *

The sound of his phone ringing woke Frankie Kazarian out of a sound sleep. Groaning he sat up and reached for it, silently cursing when it stopped the moment he laid fingers on it. He didn't need to look at the caller ID to know who it was.

He accessed his voicemail and listened to Alexis' message. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. She was so happy and completely unaware of his betrayal. When she found out about his affair it would break her heart.

Tossing the phone back onto the nightstand he slouched back down and turned his attention to the woman in the bed next to him. Traci Brooks. His girlfriend's best friend.

His mind trailed back to the night before and he groaned softly. What had he done? He'd thrown the past two years with Alexis down the tubes to have a night with Traci. He was sickened by his actions, but something about it had felt so right…even now that he was wallowing in regret.

Traci stirred, her eyes fluttering open and focusing on him. She frowned when she saw the look on his face and sat up, cupping his cheek with her hand.

"Frankie?"

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he met her eyes.

"What's wrong, baby?"

He pushed all thoughts of Alexis to the back of his mind and forced a smile, leaning into Traci's touch. "Nothing," he lied. "Just lost in thought." He took her hand and pressed his lips into her palm.

She pulled her hand away and shifted so that she was straddling him. She placed a hand on either side of his face and forced him to meet her gaze. "You're thinking of her again, aren't you?"

Unable to pull his eyes from hers he closed them and nodded. "I just can't stand hurting her, Trace," he sighed.

Traci smirked, leaning down and capturing his lips with hers. "She never has to know," she said taking his hands and placing them on her ample bosom as she rocked her hips. He groaned and lost himself in Traci's soft moans.

* * *

"I'm counting the minutes until I'm back there with you, Trace," Frankie said softly into the phone. He glanced over his shoulder to check on where Alexis was. They were spending the weekend in North Carolina. Matt had decided to have a cook out.

He half listened to what Traci was saying as he watched Alexis laughing with Jeff as she brought a tray of assorted cooked meats over to the table. He had always thought she was adorable when she laughed.

"Frankie? Are you listening to me," Traci screeched.

He cringed and pulled his attention away from Alexis, torn between wanting to hop a flight back to California to be with Traci and wanting to stay there with Alexis.

"Alexis is coming. I gotta go, Traci," he said ending the call and pocketing the phone.

Alexis smiled as she approached him. "I thought we said no business this weekend," she lightly scolded.

"Sorry, baby," he said wrapping his arms around her and kissing her softly. "It was important. About a show next week. I'm all done now."

"Good. The food's done," she said pulling him toward the table.

Frankie followed her wondering how much longer he could keep up the charade.

* * *

As he walked through the airport Frankie kept telling himself that he was going to break things off with Traci. No matter how right it felt in the throes of passion it wasn't. He loved Alexis and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

At least that was his mantra as he headed over to baggage claim.

He collected his bags and headed out to the parking lot to collect his car. He got to the row he had parked in and stopped in his tracks. Traci lay across the hood of his car sunning herself as she waited for him.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself as he found his feet acting before his mind could stop them. He doubled his pace until he was beside her, dropping his bags and scooping her into his arms and kissing her long and hard.

"Someone missed me," she purred as his lips trailed down her neck to her collarbone.

"Let's go home," he said tugging her off the car as he pulled out the keys.

* * *

Later that night Frankie lay in bed with Traci in his arms. She was curled up at his side sleeping soundly. He kissed the crown of her head and rested his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

At that moment in time everything was perfect. Traci was all he needed and all he wanted. Alexis never even crossed his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When the morning came he felt the same guilt that he always felt after a night with Traci. He gently rolled her off of him so that he could swing his legs over the edge of the bed and sit up.

Traci stirred, rolling onto her side so that she could look at him. She reached out a hand to trace a perfectly manicured nail down his back.

"Come back to bed, baby."

Obediently he swung his legs back up onto the bed. She pulled him to her, capturing his lips. As much as he wanted to resist her, Frankie found himself helpless. He was completely under her spell.

**THE END**


End file.
